TCM fakers face prison time
Government hopes cleaned-up trade will diversify Macao’s economy.
Chinese medicine counterfeiters may be sentenced to up to five years in prison, as the government seeks to clean up the trade.
The First Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly is currently examining the recently established law on the trade of herbal or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
The law proposes a maximum of five years’ imprisonment should any physical harm be caused to a person as a result of adulterated drugs, misbranded drugs or substituted drugs.
Importing, storing, exhibiting, illegally producing and supplying adulterated, misbranded or substituted herbal drugs are all subject to punishment whenever the activities result in physical harm.
Committee chairman Ho Ion Sang said that the existing laws are insufficient to deter individuals from activities linked to adulterated drugs, misbranded drugs or substituted drugs.
According to Ho, the local government hopes to become more effective at cracking down on counterfeit medicine trading by strengthening the law.
According to the Macau Daily Times, the government plans to boost sustainable development of the herbal pharmaceuticals industry in Macao and make herbal medicine safer and healthier as it believes that TCM could help Macao to diversify its economy.
